Andros Trophy: Second win for Muller - just !

A variety of mechanical problems decimated the top part of the grid, meaning that the leader of one moment was nowhere at the next round. Marcel Tarres was by far the fastest in the early part of the weekend, with his team-mate in the Citroen Xsara, Anthony Beltoise, close behind. But just as Tarres looked certain to win the first day, the engine on the Xsara seized, and the team was forced to withdraw.

Yvan Muller, winning the first day due to Tarres' withdrawal, failed to finish Sunday's first 3-lap heat when the gear-box of his Globalstar Astra broke. "Just like last year," he said with a touch of fatalism. "If we're second, we're second. It's not the end of the world." The team repaired the car for the second heat, but despite his efforts, he could not beat the man of the moment, Stephane Peterhansel.

Peterhansel, driving a Nissan Micra, started the weekend slowly, with poor performances in the timed trials. But his times improved dramatically, and after winning his Saturday race, he found himself just behind Muller in the classification. On Sunday morning he was out on the ice in the first group, due to failing to set a time in the corresponding timed session. With three laps in just three minutes, his time remained unbeaten. After a lightening change to two wheels to win his Pilot Bike semi-final, he returned to the Nissan and proceeded to set the best single lap time of the weekend, with a time of 58.679 seconds. Despite his best efforts, Muller could not do better.

Muller won his Saturday race with ease as his opponents piled into each other at the second corner, emerging mostly unscathed and giving Muller a 3 second buffer which he maintained until the end, crossing the line with his door open and waving to the crowds. Peterhansel's race was more dramatic, as Christian Beroujon, in a Peugeot 306, got ahead of him at the first corner. But Peterhansel pushed past further round the track, to lead for the rest of the 6 laps, winning the second day and finishing on equal points with Muller overall.

In such circumstances, the results from the timed practice session count, and Muller, with 2nd and 5th times, therefore took the win with the narrowest of margins. "I'm relieved it's finished!" Muller said. "We had a very difficult weekend, and so we were very careful to try and bring back the most points possible. It proved a lot more difficult than I thought to adapt to the 60kg penalty weight." Peterhansel was second - his best result since his 1998 Andorra win - and Christian Bejouron, in the Techno di C Peugeot 306, finished a career-best third, equalling the car's best performance at the hands of young off-road rally driver Pierre Colard.

In the Promotion for cars with two-wheel steering, Laurent Fouquet took the overall win after an excellent week-end, ahead of Val Thorens winner Neyrial.


1. Yvan Muller Astra
2. Stephane Peterhansel Nissan Micra
3. Christian Beroujon Peugeot 306
4. Patrick Herbert Astra
5. Philippe de Korsak Opel Tigra
6. Jean-Nöel Lanctuit Opel Tigra
7. Laurent Fouquet Renault Clio (P)
8. Gian Marino Zenere Peugeot 306
9. Nicolas Odin Seat Cordoba
10. Jean-Michel Neyrial Opel Tigra (P)


1. Yvan Muller 314 points
2. Stephane Peterhansel 298
3. Patrick Herbert 275
4. Philippe de Korsak 270
5. Christian Beroujon 261
6. Jean-Michel Neyrial 255
7. Jean-Nöel Lanctuit 255
8. Laurent Fouquet 251
9. Jean-Philippe Dayraut 243
10. Julien Pressac 243